Buffing and whitening machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. VAUGHN. BUFFING AND WHITENING MACHINE.

No. 546,263. Patented Sept. 10', 1895.

In v'en tor,

MAI JAM Attorney m DREW I GRAHAM. HOTOUTHQWASRIN GTON .nc,

{No Model.) 4 SheetsSheeu 2.

I. VAUGHN. BNPPING AND WHITENING MACHINE.

No. 546,263. Patented Sept. 10,1895.

Witnesses. Inventor:

(0m 74W 9 W wgqmawewwm A Horn ey.

AN BREW I, GRAHAM. PNOTNUTHJ WASH! II MILD C.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.) v

I. VAUGHN.

BUPFING AND WHITENING MACHINE. No. 546,263. Patented Sept. 10, 1895.

-W1'me5ses: N Inventor.- 6M 7. @m/fi wzi 9 m l (N5 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

I. VAUGHN.

BUFFING AND WHITENING MAGHINE.

Patented Sept. 10, 1895 AN DKEN [GRAHAM ,PHOTDUWQWASKINGTQN, BL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

IRA VAUGHN, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE VAUGHN MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

BUFFING AND WHITENING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,263, dated September 10, 1895.

Application filed May 27, 1895. Serial No. 550,754. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA VAUGHN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Salem, in the county of- Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Buffing and Whitening Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for treating leather, and is more especially designed and adapted for boiling and whitening. As now commonly practiced these operations of bufiiug and whitening are per-- formed by means of a tool in the hands of a workman, the said tool, commonly called a slicker, being provided with a very fine or thin edge, which is usually designated awire or turned edge, by which a fine or thin layer or wafer of the leather is removed, usually by the operator imparting to the tool a forward motion and at the same time a lateral motion, the resultant motion approximating a direction substantially inclined with relation to the position of the workman in front of the table or support on which the leather is placed. In buffing the leather is acted on upon the grain side, and in whitening the leather is acted on upon the flesh side, and in either operation it is particularly desirous that the amount of leather removed from either surface should not be of such thickness as to disintegrate, open out, or otherwise injure or disturb the fiber, but that the thickness of the leather removed should only be a thin wafer, and that the same should be removed by a sharp cleancut, which is effected by the fine wire-edge of the tool,coupled with the shearing action imparted to the tool by the combined forward and lateral movements of the said tool.

This invention has for its object to mechanically accomplish what the workman accomplishes with the slicker, and in accordance with this invention the leather is operated upon by a knife or tool mechanically moved simultaneously in a forward and in a lateral direction, whereby its action upon the leather approximates the action of the hand-operated knife or tool.

In the present embodiment of this invention the cutting tool or knife is made in the form of an endless belt passed about pulleys suitably supported by a movable carriage, to which is imparted a reciprocating motion, the travel of the said carriage and the movement of the endless-belt knife being preferably effected from a common source, as will be described.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatusembodying this invention; Fig. 2, asection and elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on the line 2 2, looking toward the right; Fig. 3, a top or plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away; Fig. 4, a detail in plan and on an enlarged scale of the beltknifeand its operating parts; Fig. 5, an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4., looking toward the left; Fig. 6, a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7, a vertical section on the irregular line '7 7, Fig. (3, looking toward the left; Fig. 8, a detail in front elevation and on an enlarged scale of one of the hangers shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 9, a side elevation of the hanger shown in Fig.8; Fig. 10, a detail in front elevation and on an enlarged scale of another hanger shown in Fig.

'1; Fig. 11, a side elevation of the hanger shown in Fig. 10; Figs. 12 to 17, inclusive, details to be referred to; Fig. 18, a front elevation on an enlarged scale and with parts broken away of the machine shown in Fig. 1, the machine being shown at a different angle from that shown in Fig. 1 to enable the movements of the operating belt-knife to be more easily shown; and Fig. 19, a detail on an enlarged scale to more clearly show the construction of the table.

In the construction of machine herein shown as embodying this invention A represents a main framework or support comprising a substantially horizontal base portion a and an inclined portion or arm a. The framework A may be made of any suitable material, preferably metal. The operating parts of the machine consist, essentially, of a table or support a for the hide or skin being treated,

a movable cutting instrument or knife (1. to act on the hide or skin, and a reciprocating carriage a, which supports the said knife, as will be described.

The movable cutting instrument or knife a as herein shown, is made in the form of an endless band or belt passed about pulleys or drums a a, mounted upon shafts a a (see Fig. 2,) having bearings in suitable boxes or sleeves a a (L a, carried bya frame herein shown as two substantially parallel arms a a and a connecting bar or web at, (see Fig. 4,) the arms a a being preferably made hollow at one end for the reception of studs or projections a" e on the bearing boxes or sleeves 6&9 a which are adjustably carried by the frame referred to. In the present instance the boxes or sleeves a a, are held away from the socketed arms 0. a by set-screws a on, extended through threaded holes in the lugs or cars a (L23 on the arms a e0 the bearing boxes or sleeves a a being made adjustable to take up slack in the belt-knife (L The bearing boxes or sleeves c0 may be secured to or form part of the opposite ends or halves of the arms a at, which ends or halves may be made solid, as herein represented. (See Fig. 4.)

The pulleycarrying frame is supported from the movable carriage ct, which is accomplished, as herein shown, by means of two hangers B B. (Shown separately in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive.)

In Figs. 10 and ll is shown the hanger B, which may be designated the front hanger, and in Figs. 8 and 9 is shown the hanger B, which may be designated the back or rear hanger. The front hanger B consists, as herein shown, of two arms I) I), connected by a cross bar or web 6 the arm I) at its opposite ends being provided with suitable holes or openings Z) b and the arm I) being provided with like openings or holes b b, in line with the holes b b. The hanger B is pivotally supported from the front end of the carriage a by a suitable pin or pivot Z)", extended through the holes Z2 Z1 and through a suitable hole or openingin the carriage, and the lower end of the hanger B is pivotally secured to the front end of the pulley-carrying frame by a pin or pivot-rod 19 (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which extends through the holes 12 b and through a suitable hole in a boss or projection 1)", se cured to or forming part of the arm a. The rear hanger B is likewise composed of two arms D 0 (see Fig. 8,) connected by the tiebar or cross-web b the arms 13 I) being provided at their upper ends with holes or openings b b, respectively, through which is extended a pivot pin or rod [9 carried by the carriage a", and the lower ends of the said arms are provided with suitable holes or openings b 1), having removable caps 11 Z9 by removing which the lower ends of the arms b Z1 may be fitted about a sleeve 1) on opposite sides of a web or arm i2 extended from the cross-arm a of the pulley-carrying frame, as best shown in Fig. 4, the said sleeve being loosely secured to the lower end of the arms I) Z2 by the caps 19 Z2 which are herein shown as secured to the arms by bolts b.

The sleeve Z7 forms a bearing for a shaft 0, extended through the said sleeve and provided at one end with a bevel pinion or gear 0', which meshes with a bevel-gear 0 fast on the shaft a of the pulley a and at its opposite end the shaft 0 has fast on it a pulley 0 (see Fig. 1,) which is connected by a belt 0 to a pulley 0 fast on an eccentric stud or pin 0 on a wheel or disk 0', keyed or otherwise fastened to a shaft 0 having suitable bearings in the frame A of the machine, the said shaft in the present instance being provided with fast and loose pulleys a 0 (See Fig.3.) The hanger b is provided with a rearwardly-extended arm o herein shown as extended from the lower end of the arm 12 (see Fig. 9,) and the arm 0 has fastened to it, as by a bolt b or in other suitable manner, one end of a connecting-rod 0 having its opposite end secured, as by bolt 0 to an eccentric-strap 0 embracing the eccentric pin or stud 0 (See Fig. 1.) It will thus be seen that the pulleycarrying frame is pivotally supported at its opposite ends by the hangers B B, which are themselves pivotally supported from the carriage a, and the effect of a parallel link-motion is obtained. The movable carriage a in the present instance is shown as a substantially narrow piece or bar, preferably of metal, and suitably shaped at its upper and lower sides or edges to engage suitable guides, the upper side or edge being shown as forked or V-shaped to straddle or embrace a V-shaped under edge of a guide frame, plate, or bar 0 and the lower side or edge being substantially V-shaped to enter into a substantially V- shaped channel or passage in the upper surface of a guide rod or bar 0 The guide frame or bar 0 is firmly secured to the arm a. of the framework in any suitable manner, as by screws or bolts 0*, and the lower guidebar 0 is secured to the guide-bar 0 at its ends, preferably by threaded bolts 0 which are extended through suitable sleeves or sep- IIO arating-bosses 0 interposed between the said guide-bars, as shown in Fig. 1, the said bolts being extended into suitable sockets in the guide-bar 0 By an inspection of Figs. 1 and 18 it will be seen that as the fly-wheel c is revolved the knife-supporting carriage a is reciprocated on its guide-bars 0 0 which produces a forward movement of the belt-knife in a substantially straight line, as will be more fully described, and the revolution of the flywheel 0 also produces travel of the belt a, which rotates the pulley 0 the shaft 0, and the bevel-pinion c, which latter drives the bevel-gear 0 the shaft a and the pulley a, fast thereon, and the revolution of the pulley (1 produces travel or movement of the beltknife a in a direction substantially at right angles to the movement produced by the traveling carriage a Whilein operation upon the leather the belt-knife is moved transversely over the table or support a by the pulley a and at the same time the said belt-knife is moved bodily from the front toward the rear of the tablethat is, longitudinally with relation to the tableand it will be seen that if a given point in the edge of the belt-knife which is in contact with the leather be taken the same point is simultaneously moved in two directionsnamely, transversely over the bed by the pulley 0 and longitudinally over the bed by the carriage. These two movements are substantially at right angles to each other and take place simultaneously, and they combine to produce a resultant movement with respect to the table a and the leather supported thereon, which resultant movement is inclined with relation to the front end 50 of the said table, preferably at an angle of about thirty degrees, so that the cutting action of the knife a on the surface of the leather approximates the cutting action of the ban d-operated knife in buffing and whitening.

In order that the cutting-edge of the beltknife may be kept in contact with the surface of the leather, I prefer to employ a guide for the active portion of the belt-knife, so that the front or cutting edge of the said active portion is maintained in contact with the leather. The guide referred to may be made as herein shown, and consists of a plate d, (see Fig. 7,) located between the pulleys ado. (see Fig. 6) and provided at its opposite ends with detachable bars (1 (1 secured to the under side of the plate clby screws (1 The plate (1 is secured, as herein shown, (see Figs. 6 and 7,) to the bottom (Z of an open frame consisting of the said bottom, the top bar d and the side bars (2 (Z is secured, as by a screw or bolt (Z (see Fig. 7,) to the web a of the pulley-supporting frame, and to more firmly secure the plate 61 in place the said plate on its upper surface is provided with a raised portion 3, (see Fig. 6,) which enters a correspondingly-shaped recess on the underside of the bottom 61* of the guide-supporting frame. The guide-plate d is secured to the bottom (Z of its supportingframe, as herein shown, by a threaded bolt or screw (Z (see Fig. 7,) which extends through a slot or opening 61 in the bottom (i of the said frame, the said slot permitting the guide to be adjusted forward and backward, which adjustment may be effected by a threaded rod (Z extended through threaded holes in upright lugs or cars at (1 on the guide-plate d, and the bottom plate 61 i The table a upon which the leather is supported while being operated upon by the knife may and preferably will be made of substantially the construction herein shown, and as will be described.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, l8, and 19, the table The open frame referred to a is shown as substantially long and narrow, and has depending from it two rods or legs e e, extended loosely through suitable holes in the top bar 6 of a table-carrying frame consisting, as herein shown, of the top bar e a bottom bar a and connecting-bars 6 a The table-carryin g frame is pivotally secured near its center, as at c to an upright frame 6 bolted or otherwise fastened to the base a, and the said frame is clamped firmly to the base a by means of suitable nuts (not shown) on bolts 6 e 6 extended through suitable slots in the base a, which slots are best shown in Fig. 18 and are represented as made in bosses e on the base a. The top bar e is provided with an arm or-extensi on a through which extends an adjusting bolt or rod 6 by means of which the table-carrying frame, after being nnclamped from the base a, may be turned on its pivot e to bring the table a into proper or desired angular position with relation to the operating-knife, after which the said table-carrying frame is again clamped to the base a. The rods or legs 6 e of the table have loosely fitted upon them a sliding frame comprising, as herein shown, a top bar f, a bottom barf, and connecting side bars f f the top and bottom bars having suitable holes or openings, through which the legs or rods e e are extended. The bottom bar f, as.

herein shown, has connected to it, substantially near its center, one end of a preferably adjustable link f having its other end pivotally connected to an arm f of a foot treadle or leverf", pivoted, as at f to the-base a of the main frame of the machine. The legs or rods 2 e of the table are provided with screwthreads f for a portion of their length, as shown in Fig. 1, and between the top and bottom bars f f of the treadle-operated frame the screw-threaded portion of each rod or leg is engaged by threaded nuts or collars f 9 f for a purpose as will be described. The rods or legs 6 e of the table are encircled by spiral springs f f, interposed between the collars or nuts f and the bottom barf of the treadle-operated frame. The collars or nuts f on the rods or legs 6 e serve as means by which the downward or return movement of the treadle-operated frame is effected, as will be described. The upward movement of the treadle-operated frame may and preferably will be limited by means of collars or nuts f f on the rods e e, respectively, the said collars or nuts being preferably provided on their peripheries with teeth or suitable projections for engaging an endless chain f passed about the said collars or nuts, so that they may be simultaneously turned to produce uniform movement of both ends of the table a as will be described, the nut or collar f being represented as provided with a hand-wheelf Referring to Figs. 1 and 18, it will be seen that when the foot-treadle f 6 is depressed the sliding frame connected therewith is moved upward on the legs or rods 2 e, gradually compressing the springs f between the hottom barf and the nuts or collars f and that the compressed springs act against the nuts or collars f to move the legs or rods 6 e upward until the collars or nuts f 15 f are brought into contact with the top bar e of the tablecarrying frame, and when the table a is in its elevated position (shown in Figs. 1 and 18) it is yieldingly supported by the springs f j. Then the pressure on the foot-treadle is released, the springs f f act on the bottom barf and move the sliding frame downward into its normal position, which may be with the under side of the table a in contact with the top bar a of the table-carryin g frame. As the sliding frame is moved downward by the springs f f its top barf, resting on the nuts or collars f carries with it the said nuts and the rods or legs e e and the table ar the rods or legs e a carrying with them the toothed nuts or collars f f, which are lowered away from the bar 6 and when in this lowered position the nuts or collars f f maybe turned on the threaded portion of the rods or legs 6 e to adjust them with relation to the top bar 0 and thereby adjust the extent or distance the table a is permitted to move when the foot-treadle is depressed. The belt-knife a may be used until dulled and then removed from the machine andanew one substituted; but I prefer to employ but one belt-knife and to maintain the same constantly sharpened by causing the same to run in contact with suitable sharpening tools or instruments,which maybe of the construction herein represented.

The apparatus herein shown and above described is capable of being used on leather for other purposes than buffing and whitening; but it is especially adapted for these latter operations, and when so used the beltknife a normally has its front edge or surface 100 (see Fig. 16) substantially at right angles to the top or upper surface 101 of the knife.

In order that the work performed by the belt-knife a in buffing and whitening may approximate that performed by the hand-operated tool, a wire-edge 102 (see Fig. 17) is formed on the front surface of the knife by means of the sharpening tools or instruments referred to, which are herein shown as two steels g g.

The operation of the steels g g upon the belt-knife may be clearly understood by referring to Figs. 16 and 17. The steel g acts upon the upper edge or corner of the front surface 100 and the top surface 101 of the knife and carries or turns the said edge over beyond the front surface 100, and the steel g supports the turned edge and acts on its under surface and co-operates with the steel g to form the thin wire-edge 102. (Shown in Fig. 17.) The steel g is herein shown as extended through a suitable hole or opening in a carrier 9 provided with a plate 9 which is adj ustably secured to the upright member 9 of a bracket g by a screw or bolt g (see Fig. 15,) the said bolt being extended through a vertical slot g in the upright member g of the bracket 9 by means of which the tool can be adjusted with relation to the edge of the belt-knife. The tool g is similarly secured to a suitable bracket g and the said brackets are adjustably secured, as by bolts g to the top plate of an open frame, (shown best inFigs. 5 and 7,) the said frame consisting of the top plate 9 the bottom plate g, and the end plates g 51 the said frame being secured, as by screw g (see Fig. 7,) to the web a of the pulleycarrying frame. The top plate g may and preferably will have erected upon it guide-jaws between which the cutting-edge of the belt-knife travels. The pulley 0 makes one revolution to each revolution of the fiy-wheel c and in the present instance the said pulley is twice as large the pulley c and the gear 0 is twice as large as the gear 0', so that the pulley a makes one revolution for each revolution of the fiywheel 0 and the pulley 0' carried thereby. The fly-wheel 0 may be driven at any desired speed; butI prefer that it should make about sixty revolutions per minute, and the belt-knife. is preferably about forty-eight inches in length and the pulley a about eight inches in diameter, and while I prefer the sizes mentioned I do not desire to limit myself in this respect.

The operation of the apparatus may be more clearly understood by reference to Fig. 18, wherein the fly-wheel c is provided with the points 1 2 3, which represent the actual working portion of the said wheel. The pointlis the stud or pin c on which is mounted the pulley c and while the stud c is moving through the distance represented by the points 1 to 3 the carriage of is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 200. In the travel of the stud c from the position or point 1 to the position 2 the center line of the pivot 19 for the hanger B is vibrated or swings to the position indicated by the dotted line B, and on the continued travel of the stud or pin 0 from the position 2 to the position 3 the center line of pivot b hanger B, is returned from R to R. It will be observed that the center line of hanger B swings equidistant each side of plumb line P, and the very short portion or are of the curve struck between positions 1 and 3 by said radial lines R R is for all practical purposes a straight line, so that while the stud c is traveling from the positions 1 to 3 on the wheel a the belt-knife is moving over the leather on the table a in the practically straight path from 1 to 3, (indicated by the dotted-line diagram P'.) On the continued movement of the fiy-wheel the stud a, traveling from the position 3 around to the starting position, lifts the belt-knife above the table, and the cuttingedge thereof moves in the path indicated by the remaining portion of the diagram P. The diagram P in dicates the path of travel of the shaft 0, carried by the hanger B. During the return movement of the belt-knife the operator is afforded opportunity to remove a skin from the table and replace it with the next one to be treated.

I claim-- 1. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:a table or support for the leather, yieldingly supported while the leather is being acted upon, a tool or instrument to act on the leather and movable simultaneously in two directions over the table while operating upon the leather supported thereon, the said tool moving longitudinally over the table and at the same time transversely thereof, and mechanism to edect the simultaneous move ments of the said tool, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:-a table or support for the leather secured against longitudinal and transverse movement with relation to an operating tool, the said operating tool movable simultaneously over the table in two directions at an angle to each other, While operating upon the leather, the said tool moving longitudinally over the table and at the same time transversely thereof, and mechanism to effect the simultaneous movements of the said tool, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:-a table or support for the leather, a belt knife movable in one direction with relation to the table, a carriage for said belt knife movable in another direction with relation to the table to produce a movement of the belt knife in the same direction, and means to effect the movement of the carriage, for the purpose specified.

at. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities,viz:a table or support for the leather, a belt knife, pulleys about which the said belt knife is passed, shafts for said pulleys, a frame to support said shafts, a movable carriage, hangers pivotally connected to said frame and carriage, a main shaft, a disk or wheel on said main shaft, an eccentric stud or pin onsaid wheel, a rod or bar having one end connected to said stud or pin and its other end to one of said hangers, a shaft 0 supported by the pulley-carrying frame and extended through one of said hangers, gears connecting the shaft 0 with the pulley shaft, a pulley on the shaft 0, a pulley on the eccentric stud or pin, and a belt connecting said pulleys, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:-a table or support for the leather, a belt knife movable in one direction with relationto the table, a carriage for said belt knife movable in another direction with relation to the table to produce movement of the belt knife in the'same direction, a guide for the active portion of the belt knife, and means to effect the movement of the carriage, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:a table or support for the leather, a belt knife movable in one direction with relation to the table, a carriage for said belt knife movable in another direction with relation to the table, sharpening instruments movable with the carriage and engaging the belt knife as described, and means to effect the movement of the carriage, substantially as described.

7. A main frame provided with a guideway, a carriage movable in said guideway, hangers pivotally connected to said carriage, a frame pivotally supported by said hangers, a belt knife carried by said frame, means to produce travel of said belt knife in one direction, and means to move said carriage in its guideway to produce movement of the belt knife in another directiou,substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

8. A main frame provided with a guideway, a carriage movablein said guideway, hangers pivotally connected to said carriage, a frame pivotally supported by said hangers, pulleys mounted on shafts having hearings in said frame, a belt knife passed about said pulleys, a shaft 0 supported by said pulley-carrying frame, gears connecting the shaft 0 with a pulley shaft, a pulley on the shaft 0, a main shaft, a fiy wheel mounted thereon, an eccentrio stud or pin carried by said fly wheel, a pulley mounted on said eccentric stud, and a belt connecting the pulley on the said stud with the pulley on the shaft 0, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:a table provided with legs, an adjustable table-supporting frame through which said legs are extended, a treadle-operated frame mounted to move on said legs, and springs encircling the said legs and acted upon by the treadle-operated frame to move the table in one direction, substantially as described.

10. In a machine, for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:a table provided with legs, an adjustable tablesupporting frame through which said legs are extended, a treadleoperated frame mounted to move on said legs, and springs encircling the said legs and acted upon by the treadle-operated frame to move the table in one direction, and means to adjust the table with relation to its supporting frame, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz:a table provided with legs screwthreaded for a portion of their length, a tablesupporting frame through which said legs are extended, toothed nuts or collars located on I go the screw-threaded legs below the table-supporting frame, a link chain connecting said collars, and means to turn one of the said collars to effect simultaneous movement of the other collar and adjustment of the table with relation to its supporting frame, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for treating leather, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz :a main frame provided with a guide- Way, a carriage movable in said guideway, hangers pivotally connected to said carriage, a frame pivotally connecting said hangers, pulleys mounted on shafts having bearings in said frame, the bearings for one pulley shaft being adjustable, a belt knife passed about 7 the pulleys, substantially as described.

In testimonyrwhereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IRA VAUGHN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. STAOKPOLE, F. W. THOMAS. 

